High quality graphic image generation is used in various fields such as flight simulators, medical training and surgery, computer games, and engineering workstations, to name a few. It is imperative that these systems provide realistic images for the benefit of the user. These images should have as a minimum sufficient quality to correspond to the visual scene experienced by the user in viewing the objects directly with either optically aided or non-aided vision. The overall objective is to facilitate the teaching or game playing environment for the benefit of the user. The system goal therefore is to provide an immersive environment which is perceived by the user to be very like the visual appearance of the task as it would be performed in the real world.
To this end, it is desired to provide systems which do not create false impressions with unrealistic or inaccurate object representations. For example, flight simulators are employed to train fighter pilots on how to quickly detect objects such as enemy planes and missiles. The pilot does this by scanning the horizon in a predetermined pattern along with other visual and auditory warnings. As such, if the flight simulator renders an object with a fluttering appearance or an unrealistic large size, a false impression of the target is generated. As such, the training exercise is detrimental in that the actual appearance of an enemy plane or target is unrealistic. Hence the visual expectations of the pilot in air combat become unrealistic and life threatening. Similar limitations exist for medical training and surgery preparation/execution and other similar applications. Hence accepted practice is to overcome this very serious limitation by resorting to alternate—and generally more expensive—means of accomplishing the objective. As an example, after training in a simulator, the pilot must spend a large number of hours in the aircraft to become familiarized with the appearance of aircraft and missiles in the real world.
Attempts at improving graphic image processors used with simulators and other interactive graphics devices continue due to the desire to improve the quality of displays. These are limited by the pace of advancements in computer and display technology.
In general, it is known to apply improved rendering techniques to an entire image display to enhance the overall appearance of the images presented. However, this approach rapidly consumes processing power available and accordingly, limits other operational aspects of the image processor such as real-time presentation of the total visual environment. Moreover, current technology graphic processors using embedded graphic algorithms are unable to selectively improve the visual appearance of those items whose detail is particularly important and critical to the overall success of the training simulation. This is exemplified by the aforementioned planes and missiles that require high acuity presentation in order to assure that the pilot is being trained in an environment as similar as possible to the visual environment likely to be encountered in actual air combat.
The present processing equipment does not prioritize these objects and accordingly, processes the important items as it would any background information. This limits the usefulness of the training or display environment.
One alternative to the aforementioned approach is to employ high acuity projectors in conjunction with a graphic image processor. This technique generates a simulated background scene and superimposes the critical images onto the scene with a higher resolution. This requires additional processing equipment and is quite expensive. Moreover, the high resolution projectors of today are unable to represent the critical objects with the acuity and real world appearance necessary for effective training or practice.
An extension of this approach is to provide a hardware-based solution utilizing high resolution Area of Interest displays. In conjunction with this, a mechanism is provided for tracking pilot head position and those areas where the pilot is perceived to be looking are processed with high resolution. Unfortunately, this method employs unrealistic background scenes which appear artificial and do not present an accurate representation for a training simulator. Hence the lower detail background image appears to the pilot undergoing training to be quite different than the remainder of the visual scene. This provides the pilot with a visual cue not available in air combat and lessens the pilots ability to perform air combat maneuvers effectively.
The current preferred system for generating graphic images for simulators is to provide an image database that is accessed by a graphic computing engine. Depending upon input from the trainee, images are rendered to a memory buffer and then displayed at about 60 frames per second. One enhancement to this current technology is to render the critical objects, such as enemy airplanes, in a separate memory buffer which is then transferred to the main memory buffer for display. Although an improvement, a high resolution display of about 5,000×4,000 pixel screen density is required to properly display the critical objects. This approach is still quite costly as it still requires the use of laser projectors which are not currently available and whose cost is likely to be very prohibitive upon the initial introduction of this improved technology.
Based upon the foregoing, it is evident that there is a need for a graphic image processor system which displays critical objects with an enhanced acuity while using available graphics processing power to display the entire scene at the same resolution. The availability of this capability would markedly improve human performance in real world visual tasks for which extensive training is currently the norm.